Pistons, Wolves tangle at The Palace

(Sports Network) - Coming off just their first win this month, the Detroit
Pistons have another losing streak they would like to end when they host the
Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday from The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Pistons, who are mired in a six-game losing streak at home, opened March
with a season-worst 10 straight losses and stopped the bleeding with
Saturday's 92-91 road decision over the Charlotte Bobcats. Charlie
Villanueva's layup with 15 seconds left lifted the Pistons and he finished
with 18 points.

After Bobcats guard Kemba Walker gave his team a 91-90 lead on a free throw
with 31.6 seconds left, Villanueva missed on a 3-point attempt and Pistons
forward Greg Monroe gathered the rebound before finding his teammate for a
game-winning score. Villanueva had 14 points in the fourth quarter and needs
56 for 6,000 in his career.

"It felt really good to get a win after that losing streak we were on,"
Villanueva said. "We kind of got that monkey off our back. You could see how
excited everyone was just to get that win."

Jason Maxiell added 14 points in the win, which saw the lead change hands nine
times in the fourth quarter.

Detroit, which is allowing 98.9 ppg, is 15-21 at home this season and will
also host Toronto on the quick residency. The last time the Pistons won back-
to-back home games was versus Boston and Orlando from Jan. 20-22.

Minnesota is back on the road where it is only 8-27 this season and dropped a
104-97 home decision to the Chicago Bulls its last time out on Sunday.

"We just didn't play hard enough at the start of the game. They got control of
it. The second half, we picked it up, but it was too late. We shot decently,
but they killed us on the boards," Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman said.

Adelman was alluding to the 52-32 difference on the glass. Minnesota lost for
the first time this season when shooting at least 50 percent (10-1) and looks
to improve on its 3-10 road ledger against teams from the East. The Wolves
will play four games over the next five nights.

The Timberwolves, who will start a four-game homestand Wednesday versus Kobe
Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, received some encouraging news on former
All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Kevin Love. Love, who's been out since Jan.
3 with a fractured right hand, told the Wolves' website he is expected to be
re-evaluated this week in hopes of returning soon.

Love, who still leads the team in scoring with 18.3 ppg despite playing only
18 games, said he is feeling back to normal and has been shooting with the
team.

"I'm shooting the hell out of it ... I'm shooting a lot better," Love noted on
the team's website. "It's back to how it used to feel."

That has to be easy on the ears for Love's teammates and coaches even though
they're way out of playoff contention. His return, although a short one, can
only make the core of the team better for a run in 2013-14. Love added that it
will be up to the coaches on when he steps back on the hardwood.

"I know that I'm really fortunate that it's back to where it was," Love said.
"Still getting a little bit of strength back, getting some tightness out of my
hand. But When that scar tissue goes away, it will be 100 percent. But my hand
at 80 or 90 percent really feels good."

Minnesota and Detroit are meeting for the first time this season and the
Wolves took both matchups a season ago. The Timberwolves have won four in a
row against the Pistons and four of six trips to The Palace.